On or after 1st April 2016, user fee collection was rescinded in larger public interest at eight fee plazas on National Highways in different states, which includes one fee plaza in Assam, one fee plaza in Chhatisgarh, one fee plaza in Karnataka, four fee plazas in Kerala and one fee plaza in Uttarakhand.
Further, one fee plaza in Rajasthan and one fee plaza in Madhya Pradesh have been closed to upgrade the existing tollable length of National Highways. Also, one fee plaza in Madhya Pradesh has been closed and the tolling length has been merged with adjacent fee plazas.
In Public funded projects, the construction of basic facilities such as toilets is part of the scope of the civil construction agency and not of the fee collecting agency. The same are provided as per provisions of the respective Contract/Concession Agreement.
Efforts are being made to provide toilets at all fee plazas under Swachh Bharat Mission and, as on 13th December 2021, over 833 gents and 837 ladies toilets have been constructed near the fee plazas.
Congestion at fee plaza causes traffic jam. One of the primary reasons for congestion at fee plaza was slow movement of vehicles due to cash payment of user fee.
In order to remove traffic congestion at fee plazas and to ensure seamless movement of traffic, National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) through FASTag has been implemented on National Highways on pan India basis. Significantly reduced waiting time is being witnessed after declaration of all lanes of fee plazas on National Highways as “FASTag lane of the fee plaza” w.e.f. midnight of 15th/16th February 2021, thereby avoiding congestion and traffic jam at fee plazas.
This information was given by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
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